Don't forget 'offensive floppers,' Miami Heat's Shane Battier says

Shane Battier got a lot of mileage over the weekend from his crack at Miami Heat media day about flopping being the "silent killer" of the NBA.

But Battier makes an excellent point about so-called "offensive floppers," those with the ball who go out of their way to influence officials' decisions as well.

Will they be fined, too?

"There’s a ton of guys that go to the hole and they’ll scream or throw their head back like they’re being shot," Battier told the Sun Sentinel. "If we’re going to address one side of flopping, let’s address the other because that takes away from the game as well."

And yet, Battier says, there has been "no talk" about that side of things.

Let's be honest about this. A couple of Battier's Heat teammates, most notably Dwyane Wade, have done their share of "offensive flopping" through the years, especially when it comes to Wade's gift for the "kickout" maneuver on long-range shots.

Why does offensive flopping even exist?

"The same reason guys fall down on the defensive end," Battier told me. "They’re trying to draw the call in their favor. Guys yell and flail to try persuade the referee to give them the call, so it works at both ends of the floor."

As for any fear he might have that these new anti-flopping fines could be construed as the Shane Battier Rule, the veteran forward just smiled and shook his head.

"Listen," Battier said, "I’m not good enough to flop anymore. When I get hit, I’m an old man, I have no balance at this point, so I go down."

When did his flopping days end?

"A long time ago," Battier said. "I’m too old to be on the floor now and fake it. That part of my life is over."